Dry & Desolate Land

A traveling experience can be a great experience to see what is happening in the world as it takes us out of our comfortable life. It’s an eye opener to what is really going on with different cultures and their perspective on God.

If you know the Word of God, you pick up on things that people don’t notice and it grabs your attention, such as shopping. Innocent eyes of shoppers glance past statues displayed of idol gods. Defenders of this would probably say that it’s for serenity or just part of the decor, as we know it’s these subtle things that get unsuspecting people to think it’s cool or inquire about it at a later time. It only goes to prove that the presence of God has been replaced by idol worship. People have turned from God to the satisfaction of their self desires as many turn to false gods or worship false man-made objects.

What does God tell us when these things happen? 

His ears will not listen when they call to Him in distress -Jeremiah 11:14 

Why is it so easy for people to believe false things and not believe the truth?  

Romans 1:25

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

This world has become a desolate dry place, people looking for water when they only find dry land. Jesus represents our water and food for our souls. But seeing all this right now confirms that the time is right for us to keep strong, march forward as the ways of man have fallen far from God. Those of us who follow God and His ways will be praying and listening more for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to know what to do as we direct people to Jesus. Always be ready for His return, don’t give up hope that is in Him!

I say to you, “Be ready at all times to give an answer for the truth that is placed in you”.

Hold fast and study brethren as the time is ripe for those who are seeking the truth. Trust the truth will set them free in this Dry and Desolate Land.

Shalom.

Nancy

The Christian Writer

#dry&desolateland  #Jesus

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Step Back, Adjust Your View

Seeing things from a different perspective

Just recently I purchased a car with a back up camera, it’s a great feature and to know what’s right behind the back of my car that I can’t see. Although this is such an revolutionary idea, I still have to look around the sides and adjust my view, sometimes the camera can’t see everything. The same goes for photography, my grandson took a picture of the garden from his perspective, but if I took it from my view it would be very different. That’s the great thing about photography everybody has a different sense of an angle or depth of field, we adjust our way of looking at things, we adjust our view. ( I adjusted the size of the photo above) you can point the camera to to mountains and turn 360 degrees and take a water fall, it’s how we look at things and how we want to look at things.

Then there is my garden…

The deer have chewed our Hostas down to picks, I get it they love the salad garden we grow here at our house but I really get upset and would never cause any deer harm, so I changed my point of view from allowing them free reign to now spraying to keep them away, planting flowers they don’t like and just by changing our view and using the knowledge we have been given we are seeing the results!

In life, not only can we adjust our view by seeing, we can adjust by receiving and responding. We just have to step back and understand what’s really important to us, winning the fight or seeing the answer by someone else’s view. Pride can make you look only through a peephole, but let it go and see the whole bigger view that maybe you haven’t seen at all!    Step back, adjust your view.

Do you see yourself looking at things through one view or perspective?

The best solution for understanding comes through prayer, asking God for help, seeking Jesus in times of struggle and uncertainty and relying on that, trying to see things from God’s view!

Psalm 19:14 

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

    be pleasing in your sight,

    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Please share

Shalom

Nancy

#Stepbackadjustyourview

#Jesus

#God

#perspective

 

 

 

A Simple Lenten Prayer

Lord, during this time of reflection, open my eyes to see the truth of Your presence in my life. It isn’t what I don’t have, but all the things that I do have that I forgot or ignored. I pray you keep me safe under your arms and guide me to the path that you have set before me. Help me to stay faithful even in my darkest days and help me to love and forgive those that have hurt or forgotten me. Jesus thank you for the grace that only you can give and for setting me free from the things that weren’t right, putting me on a new path and a new start ahead.

Praying all this in your precious Holy Name, Jesus

 

John 8:32

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

Shalom, 

Nancy

The Challenges We Face

Here comes the New Year…again.

As we look ahead to the future, some of us have set some goals, others planned vacation, and maybe some are thinking about moving either to a new home or job. But as you think ahead, considering your plans do you see hope in that?

The hope we see is that maybe this year could be better than last year, hey maybe it was a great year, but when we look back did we see the challenges we faced?

Sometimes the challenges were fierce and hard to deal with, others were spiritual challenges with hard lessons about ourself or others. Maybe some of you had or are having physical challenges and you think no one truly understands or cares.

Hard to see but the challenges we face are very healthy for our soul, teaching us strength and endurance. Facing each challenge we can look back and see how God has worked in it. He may have brought you closer to Him or someone you know and or love. It may have taught, things aren’t always what they seem to be, having to learn patience and understand that we should look at what’s going on as a bigger picture, challenging us to look outward and not inwardly.

No doubt this year there will be challenges, some easier than others, some could be triumphs and some traumatizing but remember this, God is and will be with you, just put it in His hands and as you depend on Him more, the results and outcome will amaze you. Stop trying to figure it out all the time or control it. Trust God and His purpose for your life, look to Him for all your needs.

May you live in peace and good health during the year with God’s blessings, Nancy

2 Corinthians 13:11

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

 

 

 

Press on

2 Corinthians 4:8

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.

Many times when we feel as though there is no hope and see no end to what is happening as Paul says, press on. We have hope in Christ and that is where we set our goals. The things of this world will end for us all someday day but what hope is there in the things of this world? There is none.

There is only one hope and that is in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Far too many times we put our hope into the life we have and the people we know but that isn’t lasting, it’s Christ that fulfills the lasting things for your eternal life with Him.

In this way we can put our hope there and not foresee a bleak future but a glorious hope that is in Him.

Press on to that hope, press on to that place that Christ has led you to. For it is not flesh and blood that leads you to that hope but the Spirit of truth. The Spirit that sustains you in times of distress and hopelessness. But you see that God is the sustainer of all things and to only look to Him for all your hopes and needs. 

When all things feel bleak, press on

When the future holds nothing but pain, press on

When you think you are alone in this world, you have the Holy Spirit, press on

When those who do not want to accept your sharing the Lord’s gospel, press on

When people turn their back on you, the Lord does not, press on

When someone lies about you or judges you, the Lord knows the truth, press on

Philippians 3:13-15

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

#presson #Jesus #HolySpirit #Heaven #gospel #God

Do You See Results Of Prayer?

It’s not a coincidence that you are reading this today. You may be one of those that just don’t pray enough and think you should or if you pray you don’t seem to be getting the answer you think you should.

~Have you ever thought what would God want me to pray for?

~~Have you ever looked at this through God’s eyes?

Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.

He wants you to pray and wait for His timing in a specific situation, waiting for answers are not easy, we run out of patience but that’s where God works in us to give us patience and provide us time to see a situation and work towards an outcome that we may not understand right now but will be revealed at another time.

There are types of prayers as well. There is a prayer of thanksgiving for all that you have and all He has given and still will be giving to you in the future days.

Have you thought about the things that God has prevented from happening to you? Or the accident you just missed, a situation that you thought you would never see the light from, have you thanked Him and for that gift of protection from something bad happening to you?

God sees all things, He knows what’s happening in your life but you haven’t turned to Him in prayer and asked for His leading because you find yourself leading your own life and ignoring what He has given to you.

Believing that God is working in your life leads to persistent prayer and waiting.

1 Peter 1:17

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

 

To ignore God in any way doesn’t lead to good decisions in a life lived for self-gain or desires. But to seek God in everything sheds light on situations that you clearly thought there was no escape from, He leads you out into the green grass and gives you hope for a future and blesses you with gifts, but if you are too busy not to pray or call on Him for His help, you will continue to go down a blind path until one day he shows you that you need Him, desperately. A life lived without Him is not a life lived. It’s just living. So grab your coffee my friend and go read God’s word and see what he really does for you and you will pray to Him and seek Him more often. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His sight as you grow in your relationship with Him.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

 

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

#prayer

#God

#waiting

#Father

#thankfulness

#gifts

 

 

 

Who Is The Great Influencer In Your Life?

There are many people in this world that influence your; life, first it’s your parents or caregivers, maybe it’s a sibling or close relative.  It could be someone you look up to like a popular Movie Star or public speaker, maybe a motivator. All these people influence our lives on a daily basis. We want to be like them or look like them, people we probably want to look like or be. That could most likely how our lives get shaped. As you get older you’ve learned and grown and that person is no longer influencing your life so much any more. Maybe that person changed or did something you didn’t agree with, then they become less in your mind and the search continues!

I remember for years listening to a popular speaker his motivational style was quite amazing to me. He was the type of guy who would say ”no limits” – the walk through fire type. I have to admit I used to hang onto every word because I thought he was opening my mind to endless possibilities.

I was putting my trust in his philosophy and motivation. I even had my brother listening to his audio tracks.

As I grew older I realized that not everything he said worked for me, this person didn’t know me or my thoughts and furthermore I felt as though his motivation was selling more of his books and programs than pointing me to really knowing who it was that was truly the motivator.

I’m not saying that the person that has opened your mind to possibilities is wrong but were they really guiding you to the one who created you?

Goals and dreams are great to have, but who is the one that directs your path?

Proverbs 3:6

 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Now I know there are people that are really doing great things in the world right now and we should always strive to do better in our lives but instead of looking up to them, why not look to who truly saved your soul?

Who is the ultimate hero of your life?

Jesus!

He is our motivator,

He is always with us,

He moves mountains no mere man can,

He loves us

He will never fail us in times of need.

                                That’s Christ who went to the cross for you and saved your life!

So as you think about who has influenced you through your life and were they lasting?

Were they there for you in every single aspect all the time?

                                                              Think…….

It is our Lord and Savior

Christ will never leave you or forsake you, look to Him to be the great influencer in your life!

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Shalom

Nancy

#influencer #JesusChrist #Lord #love #motivator #God

 

God Has Surely Listened

God Has Surely Listened

Psalm 66:16-20

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
    let me tell you what he has done for me.
 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened
    and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

 

There are a lot of people out there that say there is no God. But when something tragic happens they say

“Why has God done this to me?”

Or they are on their deathbed and all their life proclaimed there is no God, suddenly they are crying out for God.

If we pay close attention to this Psalm that was written anonymously they were victorious in a battle. On the battlefield trusting God there knowing that He was in control and no matter what the outcome they feared and praised Him.

They knew if there was sin in their life that was not dealt with that the Lord would not hear their prayers. But as this psalmist has written God hears the prayers of those who go after Him.

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

 

#Psalm #psalm66 #God #Jesus #heart #love #sin

 

The Trials We Face

 Are you facing difficulty?

Does everything say “give up” and go on?

Do you feel people are in the way of your progress?

 You are facing the same trials many have faced throughout time. Some have been defeated in their strive to move forward, yet because you have faith in Christ you have an assurance that a defeat doesn’t mean an end it means you have been taught.

Many times King David faced enemies in every direction, it could have been defeat but David fled to God for refuge.

Psalm 57:1

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

He saw men coming at him like “ravenous beasts”

Psalm 57:4

I am in the midst of lions;
 I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
 whose tongues are sharp swords.

But David knew His God, he knew what His God can do and David knew how to praise God in a battle, not to give up or give in. He knew to continue moving forward not getting stuck in old details of worry and negativity but instead to

Glorify and Praise God.

Psalm 57:7

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

So David stayed steadfast. What does God call you to do in a trial so overwhelming you want to run for the hills? Does He say be defeated?

Or does He say, “I am with you, you are not alone.”

Romans 8:31b

More Than Conquerors

If God is for us, who can be against us?

David was praising God in his trials knowing the God with him and that no matter what David had to face he knew his God can not be defeated, so in times of trouble, even if we lose, we will always win because God is with us through it all.

SHALOM

 

 

 

#God #trials # Jesus #King David #lions #beasts

Do You Doubt What God Can Do?

 John 20:19-20

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

After Jesus rises from the dead He visits the disciples in the room they had been gathering. The amazing joy the disciples must have felt!

John 20:24

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

 

But only 10 of the disciples were there, Judas was gone after betraying and hanging himself from a tree and then there was Thomas, not in the room but when he arrived later after Jesus had left the disciples, they told Thomas all about the Lord’s return. But Thomas didn’t believe it, he needed more proof, he said unless I see Jesus nails scars and wound on His side will I believe.

John 20:25

²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

 

There are probably many theologians that have their angle on this, but it’s simple. When you have put your trust and love into someone and they leave your doubt is raised if they will come back. But Jesus came back just to show Thomas that it’s true, Jesus loved Thomas so much He came and met his inner desire to physically see just what He knew Thomas needed.

Like Thomas we come to doubt what God can do or if He hears our prayer or call to him. But just like Thomas we need proof, we need to see that prayer is answered and often times it is, but sometimes not what we expect because God knows us intimately and just as He knows how we are wired we need to continue to place trust and hope in Him that He knows our hearts, needs and desires.

Truly it was a happy day for Thomas, but for us who believe without seeing is a privilege and blessing.

God can and will meet your needs but you must trust that He will and not be “A Doubting Thomas”.

Shalom on your day.

Nancy

#Jesus #Doubt #desire #proof #Thomas #DoubtingThomas #believe #peace